'He's dead, he's dead': Baby found in rocker

Reporter

As Kelly Stephens reached out and touched her seven-week-old son Bailey one morning, she cried out to her housemate: "He's dead, he's dead."

Bailey was found dead in his rocker, next to a couch where his mother slept, on November 5, 2009, the same day Ms Stephens was due to face a custody hearing.

A coronial inquest is looking into Bailey's death, and the death of Ms Stephens' four-month-old daughter Heidi Weir in March 2006. The inquest has heard the girl died in a Burrill Lakes motel, near Ulladulla, from sudden infant death syndrome.

An examination of Bailey's body did not reveal any signs of violence or mistreatment, but the exact cause of death could not be established, the inquest has been told.

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The Department of Community Services had applied to remove Bailey from Ms Stephens' care, in light of her history of prescription drug abuse and Heidi's sudden death.

Ms Stephens' general practitioner, Brett Thomson, told Glebe Coroner's Court on Wednesday that she had long been monitored for drug addiction, and suffered from mental health issues including a personality disorder.

In 2009, Ms Stephens was making an effort to improve her life, after her partner had died and she had been involved in a serious accident, Dr Thomson said.

The doctor said he and other medical professionals had supported her application to community services to continuing caring for Bailey.

"I felt that within the parameters of her weaknesses, she had made a genuine effort at organising herself and made a genuine commitment," Dr Thomson said, via audio-visual link from Nowra.

"She was moving forward and being exceptionally co-operative."

A clinical note Dr Thomson made about three weeks before Bailey's death recorded that Ms Stephens was "going well" and DoCS agreed, the inquest heard.

Mia Owen, Ms Stephens' housemate, recalled going to the mother and son's room on the morning of November 5.

"She was sound asleep on her lounge and he was on the floor in his bouncer. I only took a glance at him, and I went over to her and put my hand on her, and I shook her and I said: 'Wake up Kelly, wake up.'

"She sprang up and asked me what time it was. She put her hand on Bailey's head and arm and she said to me: 'He's dead, he's dead. Quick, ring the ambulance.'

"I said, 'Oh no, oh God, it can't be'."

Dr Thomson signed Bailey's death certificate and said the baby's body appeared normal, with no injuries or signs of mistreatment.